The present invention relates generally to indwelling catheters and electrode leads and more particularly to introducer systems for introducing catheters and electrode leads into a desired portion of a patient's body.
Catheters and leads are typically placed in a desired location in a patient's body, particularly within the patient's vasculature, by means of introducer systems. These introducer systems typically include an elongated sheath which is inserted into the blood vessel or other portion of the patient's body, through which sheath the catheter or lead is introduced. In those circumstances in which the lead or catheter is to remain in the patient's body for a considerable period of time, it is desirable to be able to remove the introducer sheath over connectors or fittings on the leads or catheters, which may have diameters greater than the inner diameter of the introducer sheath.
In many circumstances, it is also desirable that a hemostasis valve be provided at the proximal end of the introducer sheath, allowing the introducer to be sealed around the lead or catheter body. The presence of the hemostasis valve, which typically includes a rigid housing containing a compressible seal which engages the circumference of the lead body, can pose a problem with regard to removal of the introducer sheath. One mechanism for including a hemostasis valve in a removable sheath is described in co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/116,628, filed Jul. 16, 1998 by Gardeski et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the introducer disclosed in the Gardeski et al. application, the introducer sheath is provided with a luer hub on its proximal end, allowing interconnection both to the removable hemostasis valve and to other devices such as valves, T-fittings and the like, using the luer hub. The luer hub is specifically adapted to be slit using a conventional catheter slitter, which may also be employed to slit the introducer sheath.
In order to facilitate location of a catheter or lead in a specific location, it is common to provide a bend or bends in the introducer. The bend may be pre-formed as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,289, issued to Swartz. Alternatively, the introducer may be provided with a deflection mechanism allowing it to assume a desired bend or bends while within the vascular system of the patient, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,407, issued to Osypka. Typically, introducers provided with deflection mechanisms are not adapted for removal over connectors or fittings having diameters greater than the inner diameter of the introducer sheath.